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DISSERTATION XIV.

ON JESUS CHRIST,

CONCEIVED of the HOLY GHOST, AND
BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY.

I. AMONGST the precious promises with which the God of heaven was graciously pleased to favour the people of Israel, that in which he assured them that he should "walk in the midst of them,"a is entitled to hold a distinguished place. The Lord made good this promise in various ways, and by several steps. 1st, He caused the tabernacle of the congregation to be erected, and the ark of the testimony and covenant to be made, and them to Israel as symbols of his special presence. With regard to the tabernacle he said: "This shall "be a continual burnt-offering throughout your gene"rations, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD; where I will meet with you "to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet "with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall

gave

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"be sanctified by my glory. And I will dwell amongst

a Lev. xxvi. 12.

VOL. II.

B

21.

"the children of Israel, and will be their God." And Jehovah himself marched in the ark, in the sight of the people, to search out a resting-pläce for them. 2dly, Besides that symbolical presence, he showed that he was near them, by his special favour and liberality, and by his readiness to succour them in every time of need; of which we read in the following passages : "Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her?" "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved." "Thy paths drop fatness."f 3dly, The above promise, however, was most signally accomplished, when, he prepared for himself a human body, and graciously visited his people, walking among them through the land of Israel. In reference to this visit it is said; Sing "and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for, lo! I come, and "I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord." Zacharias also says with respect to it; "The day-spring "from on high hath visited us;" and John,-"The "word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." The meaning of the Greck expression is, he conversed among us in the flesh, as in his own habitation or tabernacle, just as the Divine Shechinah dwelt of old in the templc. This mystery was called by the Fathers, his coming in the flesh. And since it is the foundation of our hope, and the source of all our joy, it becomes us to consider it with close attention.

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II. Long before the incarnation took place, various

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preludes of it were exhibited to the ancient Church. There were symbols, amongst which the most remarkable was the ark of the covenant; of which the gold signified the eternity, glory, and dignity of the Divine nature of Christ, and the wood prefigured the meanness of the human nature, in reference to which he is called" the fruit of the earth." There were also extatic visions, such as those with which Ezekiel,k and Daniel,1 were honoured; in which God presented himself to view in a human, but an uncommonly splendid form; not to give occasion of sinning to Anthropomorphites,* and Iconoplasts, but to exhibit in a prophetic figure the mystery of the wonderful incarnation. It was adumbrated, in particular, by those appearances of God to Abraham and others, in which, having assumed the form of the human nature, he was seen by them face to face, hospitably received, and entertained at their table. To this the following words of our Lord may be applied: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to "see my day, and he saw it and was glad."m "The day of the Lord," is his coming in the flesh." Abraham, having received a promise of that day, earnestly

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desired to see it: and this desire he, in some respects, obtained. He not only contemplated the incarnate Jehovah, and made him in a manner present, by the eye of faith; but also beheld him at hand, eating, drinking, and conversing familiarly with him, in that human form which he condescended to assume. The Messiah appeared in like manner to Jacob in the similitude of a

* Heretics who attributed a human shape to God. T.

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man wrestling with him ;o to Joshua in the form of an armed man ;P to Gideon under an oak in Ophrah ;a and to Manoah and his wife. way for the prophecy:

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These appearances paved the Thy watchmen lift up the "voice, with the voice together do they sing; for they "behold before their eyes; that is, they behold him "that speaks, saying, Behold it is I."t1

III. We, however, to whom the matter is related as a fact which has actually taken place, are bound to examine it more distinctly. We may refer what concerns it to four heads. 1. The SUBJECT of the incarnation. II. Its MODE. III. Its CAUse. IV. The FRUIT and

benefit arising from it.

IV. The SUBJECT of the incarnation, or he who became man, is not the Father, nor the Holy Spirit, but the Son alone. "The Word was made flesh." "God "sent forth his Son, made of a woman." "Jesus Christ "is come in the flesh."w Although the essence and operation of the three persons in the godhead are the same, the flesh was not assumed by the divine essence, but by a certain person. It was at least assumed by the divine essence, only as it is characterised, and, so to speak, restricted, in the person of the Son. Neither the Father, nor the Holy Spirit, indeed, was unconcerned in the incarnation of the Son. The glory of the whole adorable Trinity is displayed in the human nature of Christ. But though the Father is in the

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